President stresses organized delivery of relief supplies
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—President General Pervez Musharraf Friday called for enhancing coordination between the Government, the private organizations and foreign agencies to give further impetus to rescue and relief efforts in quake-stricken areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and NWFP.
“Relief assistance is flowing into the earthquake-hit areas in large quantities from around the country and abroad as well — the emphasis now must be to provide it to the victims, we must ensure provision of shelter, food and medicines to them through an organized effort,” he stated.
He was addressing a meeting at the Federal Relief Commission, set up at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also attended the meeting.
The President said army medical teams are striving to provide on-the-spot treatment to maximum number of quake-hit people now medical aid is being provided to people of the cutoff areas.
He appreciated the spirit of the armed forces, volunteers, non-government organizations, and the corporate sector, who have joined the government in the colossal task of providing relief to the victims.
The meeting reviewed the pace of relief operations and evaluated various options for rehabilitation of the quake victims and reconstruction of the damaged areas.
Federal Relief Commissioner Maj. Gen Farooq Ahmed Khan briefed the participants about the ongoing relief operations and coordination between various provincial units of the Commission.
Later, Press Secretary to the President told newsmen that the Government has not called off rescue efforts and the rescuers are making all possible endeavours to pull out survivors alive.
President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday was informed that 25000 people had been confirmed dead and over 52000 injured in the catastrophic earthquake that rocked parts of the country on October 8.
A well-attended high level meeting presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf reviewed affectees rehabilitation and other relief and rescue operation activities held here at the office of Federal Relief Commissioner in Prime Minister Secretariat. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, vice chief of army staff General Ahsan Saleem Hayat, interior minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, federal relief commissioner Major General Farooq including other civil and military officials attended the meeting.
In his detail briefing to President Musharraf with regard to relief and rescue operations to rehabilitate the quake affectees, Major General Farooq reiterated that as many as 18000 persons were confirmed dead in parts of Azad Kashmir while the rest 7000 died in parts of NWFP in the massive quake.
Amid spates of some credible press reports that trucks carrying relief goods were looted, he said that law enforcing agencies included FC, rangers and police had been deployed for the security of caravans of vehicles carrying relief goods.
He went on to say that civil and military officers had been sent to Muzaffarabad to run the administrative affairs of the ruined city. At least 62 train bogies packed with relief goods and edibles, he noted were arrived, which would subsequently be distributed via roads to accessible and by helicopters to inaccessible areas among the affectees.
Expressing satisfaction over the accelerated pace of relief and rescue activities, President Musharraf underlined that these all reflects unity among Pakistani nation and the compatriot proved that they were one and united to face any challenge.
“The relief aid and assistance is big and gigantic but what is needed is that the goods and edibles should be delivered in organize manner so that it can be reached to the affectees without further delay,” he directed adding that blankets, sweaters and cloth should be provided to parts of Azad Kashmir and NWFP ahead of chilling weather.
Hailing the step of establishing tents villages, he underlined the imperatives that these tents villages would be provided with basic amenities of life saying if any foreign organization or company was interested to take part in the establishment of these tents villages should be given a chance to take part.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the occasion said that $360 million aid had been received so far from different countries while relief goods and other edibles including medicines and tents are coming from Saudi Arabia, United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Iran, India, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and other states.
Saudi Arabia will send ten trucks loaded with relief goods on daily basis, he added.
Prime Minister also made it clear that the relief funds deposited in President Relief Fund will be utilized in transparent manner.
The president and prime minister directed the Relief Commissioner to not only monitor relief activities but also improve the coordination between the organisations taking part in relief activities.